Sheet metal handling apparatus



Aug. 20, 1935. K. c. GARDNER ET AL 2,011,810

SHEET METAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 10, 1933 4 SheetsSheet l NVENTORS WITNESSES We, MZKM WW W M' M?M ATTO RH EYS Filed March 10, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 20, 1935.

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Aug. 20, 1935.

K. C. GARDNER ET AL SHEET METAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 10, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES q q i w 13* INVENTORS ATTORNEYS 1935. K, c. GARDNER El AL 2,011,810

SHEET METAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 10, 1953 4 Sheets-Shget 4 INVENTORS WITNESSES Patented Aug. 20, 1935 I gun- PATE

. p 2,011,810 v snnn'r METAL LING APPARATUS Peylv Application March 10, 1933; Serial No. 660,272

16 Ella.

Our invention relates to material-handling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for handling sheet metal either in the form of coils of metal strip or of metal in sheets.

One object of our invention is to provide apparatus for conveniently and expeditiously supplying coils of sheet metal strip to rolling mills and removing completed coils or empty therefrom.

A further object of our invention is to provide simple and emcient apparatus for supplying metal sheets to rolling mills and for removing the rolled sheets therefrom for piling or storage.

A still further object of 'our invention is to provide an arrangement for handling coils of sheet metal strip and metal sheets wherein certain of the apparatus may be from to the respective systems for handling coils and sheets.

In the operation of rolling mills for sheet metal,

I either in the form of sheet metal strip or metal sheets, it has been dimcult, when the ll is ar-- ranged for operation with one form oi sheet metal, to adapt it for operation with sheet metal of the other form. t is, for example, if the mill is provided with apparatus for hang coils of sheet metal strip, it'has been dimcult,

by means of a crane or other suitable hoisting mechanism.

When the rolling 112.1 is adapted for rolling metal sheets a portion of the coil-handling apparatus is removed and is replaced by suitable conveyors for handling metal sheets, the conveyors cooperating with certain of the remaining apparatus which has not beenremoved, and which istherefore common to the apparatus for handling sheet metal of both types. When it is desired to adapt the mill for rolling sheet metal strip, it is only necessary to remove the conveyors and replace certain of the mechanism for handling coils.

The advantages of an arrangement bf the character described above resides in the fact that the change in material-handling apparatus that is necessary to adapt the mill for the respective forms ,of sheet metal requires comparatively little time and labor. and the amount of apparatus for handling both types of sheet metal ismaterially less than would be required if the systems were entirely independent and no parts were common tltiereto.

The details of our invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, inJ lo which Fig. l is a planwiew of a rolling mill and apparatus associated therewith for handling coils of sheet metal strip. the mill being s'hown in section; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation .of the apparatus of Fig. 1, parts being shown in section; Fig. 3. is a view in vertical transverse section taken on line m-m ofFig. 1; Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on line lV-IV of Fig. 1;,Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the mill and associated apparatus for handling metal sheets, parts being shown in section; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the ap paratus of Fig. 5, them'ill being shown in section;

and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 5 with the coil-handling apparatus which has been removed shown in dotted vided adjacent and in alignment with the coil box 3.

Each of the coil boxes is provided with a transfer mechanism t for transferring coils or dlums therefor from a coil box to the coil support 5 or i, as the case may be. The transfer mechanism comprises a pair of spaced arms it pivoted at it above the coil box, extending adjacent the sides of the latter, and having hook portions i2 at the outer ends thereof for suitably engaging r the trunnions of coil drums during their transtions to lift the coils engaged thereby the arms l3 are rotatable therewith. In order to limit relative movement between the arms I!) and I3, each of the latter is connected to the cooperating lug I4 by means of a rod 9 and a spring 2|. The arms 13 have integral therewith members l5 that extend at an angle thereto for a purpose to be later described.

The coil support 4, which is substantially in horizontal alignment with the coil box 2, consists of two parallel horizontal beams IS, the upper edges of which provide rails along which coils may be moved horizontally toward the coil box. The coil support 5 comprises two horizontal beams I! that are suitably spaced to support coils thereon and are provided at their outer ends with curved portions l 8 for limiting the outward movement of coils that have been transferred thereto. The beams H are supported upon horizontal beams l9 transverse thereto, and which in turn are supported upon relatively widely spaced vertical posts'20. The coil supports 6 and I are similar to the corresponding coil supports 4 and 5.

The mill l is provided with two relatively small working rolls 22 and two large backing rolls 23. As best shown in Fig. 1, the working rolls 22 are driven by an electric motor 24 that is connected thereto'by means of intermediate gear mechanism 25 and suitable universal couplings 26.

Coils mounted in the respective coil boxes 2 and 3 are each driven by a motor 21 by means of suitable intermediate gear mechanisms 28 and a pneumatically-controlled slidable clutch 29. The transfer mechanism 8 of each coil box is driven by a motor 30, suitable intermediate gear mechanisms 3| and a shaft 32.

In the operation of the coil-handling apparatus described above, it may be assumed that coils 34 of sheet metal strip to be rolled are supplied to the outer end of coil support 4 by any suitable means, such, for example, as a crane or other suitable transfer or hoisting mechanism. In accordance with the usual practice the coils are wound upon drums 35 having trunnions 36 extending axially thereof. Each of the trunnions is provided with a cylindrical sleeve 31 having a suitable anti-friction bearing upon the trunnion, the sleeve 31 being suitably grooved to roll upon the rails of the coil supports.

By means of the rotatable sleeves 31, the coils may be moved along the several supports without rotation of the coils, the sleeves 31 rolling upon the respective rails. The innermost coil 34, as shown in Fig. 2, is prevented from rolling into the'coil box 2 until released by a suitable stop mechanism 38 that is controlled by a manually operable lever 39.

When a coil 34 is in operative position in the coil box 2, the end of the strip is loosened andinserted between the working rolls 22 in any usual or suitable manner. The coil box 2 is provided with a roller 40 thereon which operates as a guide roller for the metal strip while the latter is being rolled. The sleeves 3'! constitute bearing supports for the coil drums 35 during the rolling operation.

The metal strip passes through the mill I and is wound upon a drum 35 in the coil box 3. The metal may be rolled by passing through the mill any desired number of times, and if the number of passes is even the completed metal strip will be wound upon the drum 35 in the, coil box 2.

The completed coil is then transferred from the coil box 2 to the coil support 5 by the lifting mechanism 8. The motor 30 and the intermediate mechanism are operated to rotate the arms I!) and the arms I 3 therewith in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, to lift the coil 34 to the position indicated by dotted lines.

The inclined portions l5 of the arms l3 have each engaged a pivoted latch member 4i on the respective beams I! to rotate the latches about their pivotal supports and to open a limit switch 42. The motor 3| is brought to rest when the arms l3 have passed beyond the respective latch members 4|, whereupon the latter return into position to support the outer ends of the inclined members IS.

The motor 30 is then reversed to cause the arms I0 to release the tru'nnions 36 of the coil drum,

and the arms H] are then returned substantially tions indicated by full lines, Fig. 2, in readiness for the transfer of a succeeding coil. Coils 34 are removed from the coil support 5 by any suitable means, such, for example, as a crane or other hoistingmechanism.

When the mill is operating with an even number of passes of the metal the succeeding operations are similar in all essential respects to those described above, a new coil of material to be rolled being transferred to the coil box while the previous coil of completed material is being transferred to the upper coil support 5.

During the operation of the mill with an even number of passes, it is only necessary to provide an empty coil drum 35 in the coil box 3, since the drum in the latter is never provided with a coil of completed material. Accordingly, a single drum may be employed for any number of succeeding coils on the opposite side of the mill.

In case the mill is operated with an odd number of passes, the operation of supplying coils to the coil box 2 is similar to that described above, the only difference in the operation on this side of the mill being that empty drums will be transferred by the lifting mechanism 8 to the upper coil support 5. On the other side of the mill empty drums will be supplied to the coil box 3 by the coil support 6, and the lifting mechanism 8' will operate in the manner described in connection with the lifting mechanism 8 for the coil box 2 to transfer completed coils from the coil box 3 to the upper coil support 7.

By reason of the fact that the coil boxes and coil supports and operating mechanisms therefor are symmetrical with respect to the mill, the coils of metal to be rolled may be supplied to either side of the mill, and the operations that have been described above may occur in reverse order for either an odd or an even number of passes.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, apparatus for handling metal sheets in connection with the mill I will now be described. It will be noted that the coil supports 5 and I have been removed as have the lifting mechanisms 8 for the coil boxes 2 and 3. The rollers 40 on the coil boxes have also been removed. The coil boxes 2 and 3, the lower coil supports 4 and 6, and the posts 20 are left in position.

The apparatus for handling metal sheets comprises a piling device 44 for supplying metal sheets, a lijting device 45 forfeeding sheets to base or platform 52 that israised or lowered by a mechanism comprising a motor 53 that is suitably geared to vertically movable posts 5!. Metal sheets 55 that are supported upon the platform 52 are removed therefrom by means of lifting mechanismv 45 which is of the vacuum type and that is operated by motor 56 to transfer the sheets successively to pinch rolls 46 for transferring them to the conveyor 41.

The pinch rolls 46 are mounted in a housing 5! that is mounted on a base 58 which also supports the outer end of the conveyor 411-. The inner end of the conveyor-41 is supportedv upon the coil box 3. The conveyor d! is driven by a motor 59 connected thereto by reduction gearing 69.

The conveyor 48 which is driven by a motor 52 through reduction gearing 83, is supported at its inner end by the coil box 2 and at its outer end by the projecting base 6% of a housing 55 for the'pinch rolls M. The housing 65 is mounted upon a lifting mechanism comprising screw threaded shafts or posts to that are raised or loweredby'suitable motor operated gearing bl,

As the sheets 55 are removed from the piling device to, the motor 53 is operated to raise the platform 52 to maintain the level of the sheets 55 substantially in horizontal alignment with the pinch rolls tit whereby the sheets may be easily and conveniently removed from the pile and supplied to the pinch rolls db for delivery to the conveyor ti. X

When the sheets pass through the mill 6, they are received by the conveyor tit and are supplied 'ner as that of the piling device Mi. in the ar rangement shown by way of example, however, the outer end of the conveyor as and the housing db for the pinch rolls it, which housing supports the outer end of the conveyor M, are adiustable vertically to maintain the outer end of the conveyor 88 and the pinch rolls 219 above the top of the pile of sheets on the piling device so; The bearing supports for the roller to on the coil box 2 may provide bearing supports for the adjustable conveyor d8. i

In the sheet-handling mechanism shown and described above, if it is desired that the metal have a plurality of passes, it is necessary to transfer the sheets '55 from the receiving piling device so to the supplying piling device M. It will be possible, however, to provide apparatus for reversibly handling metal sheets for a plurality of passes without transfer directly between piling devices if an adjustable piling device such as the supplying device 44 is substituted for piling device so in order that each piling device may either supply sheets to the cooperating conveyor I or receive sheets therefrom.

In case it is desired to adapt the mill I of Figs. 5 and 6 for rolling coils of sheet metal strip, or in other words, to restore the apparatus supports 5 and I. upon the posts 20 andreplace the lifting mechanisms 8 and rollers Ill. It will be noted that the posts 20 are sufliciently spaced from the coil supports d and t that when the beams i9 and the structure supported thereby are removed the conveyors ll and 58 may be easily and conveniently placed in position or removed therefrom. It is not necessary to remove the piling devices M or bi since they are sufilcientlyremote from the mill that they do not in any way interfere with the operation of the coil-handling apparatus; v

The relative positions of, the sheet metal handling apparatus and the coil-handling apparatus on one side of the mill are clearly shown in Fig. 7, in which the mill is illustrated as adapted for rolling metal sheets, the apparatus for handling the sheets being illustrated in full lines. The

apparatus for handling coils that has been removed is indicated in dotted lines. By inspection of this view, it will be apparent that the adaptation of the mill ioroperation either for rolling metal sheets or coils of metal strip may be easily and conveniently accomplished with minimum time and labor. v i

The coil box and the lower coil support, to gether with the posts for supporting the upper coil support on each side of the mill, remain in position when themctal sheet apparatus is in position. The piling devices remain in position without in any way interfering with the operation of the coil-handling apparatus.

It will be noted that we have provided simple and emcient apparatus for expeditiously handling sheet metal whether in the form of metal sheets or of coils of metal strip. The apparatus for handling sheet metal of both forms may be employed in connection with the same rolling mill with comparatively small expenditure of time and labor. The adapting of the mill for eitherform is a comparatively simple matter since the materialhandling apparatus for each form of metal is adapted for cooperation with the apparatus for handling the other form. In view of the fact that certain of the apparatus is common to that for, handling both forms of metal, it is only necessary to remove certain portions of the apparatus for adapting the mill to operate upon the other form of metal.

The foregoing and other advantages will be means for transferring coils from saidcoil box to the upper of said supporting members.

2.' Sheet metal apparatus comprising a mill for rolling sheet metal, a. coil box in alignment with said mill for receiving coils of metal in strips, superposed coil-supporting members adjacent said coil box, the lower of said supporting members being approximately in horizontalalignment with said coil box and adapted to supply coils thereto,

and means for lifting-coils from said coil box and transferring them to the upper of said supporting members. v

3. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a mill for rollingsheet metal, a coil box in alignment with said mill for receiving coils of metal in strips,

superposed coil-supporting members adjacent said coil box, the lower of said supporting-members being adapted to supply coils to said coil box, and hoisting means for transferring coils from said coil box to the upper of said supporting members, saidhoisting means comprising a pair of arms rotatable about a pivotal support above said box and having portions for engaging the trunnions of drums for said coils.

4. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a mill for rolling sheet metal, a coil box in alignment with said mill for receiving coils of metal in strips, superposed coil-supporting members adjacent said coil box, the lower of said supporting members being adapted to supply coils to said coil box, and hoisting means for transferring coils from said coil box to the upper of said supporting members, said hoistingmeans comprising a pair of arms rotatable about a pivotal support above said coil box and a second pair of arms rotatable forwardly with the first pair of arms and having portions upon which said coils may travel to the upper of said supporting members from the position to which they are lifted by the first pair of arms.

5. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a mill for rolling sheet metal, a coil box in alignment with said mill for receiving coils of metal in strips, means for supplying coils to said coil box, members at an elevation above the coil box and the coil-supplying means for receiving coils from the coil box, latching mechanism on said members, means for hoisting coils from said coil box to a level from which they may be transferred to the supporting members, and means movable forwardly with said hoisting means and cooperating with said latching mechanism for supporting said coils during their transfer from the hoisting means to the receiving members.

. level from which they may be transferred to the supporting members, and means movable in one direction with said hoisting means and having portions adapted to be supported by said latching mechanism to provide inclined supports for causing said coils to move by gravity from the hoisting means to the receiving members.

'7. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a rolling mill, two superposed coil-supporting devices, a coil box in approximately horizontal alignment with the lower supporting device, a conveyor for metal sheets that is interchangeable with the upper coil-supporting device to adapt the apparatus for handling coils of sheet metal strip or metal-sheets as the case may be.

8. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a rolling mill, two superposed coil-supporting devices on each side of said mill, a piling device for sheet metal adjacent the outer ends of said coil-supporting devices, and a conveyor for sheet/metal that is adapted to replace each upper supporting device when sheet metal is rolled in the mill and transferred from one piling device to the other, and said conveyor being, replaced by the upper supporting device when coils of sheet metal strip are passed through the mill.

9. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a rolling mill, a coil box 'oneach side thereof, a lower coilsupporting device in alignment with each coil box, means for supplying and receiving metal sheets beyond the outer ends of said coil-supporting devices, a removable conveyor for each side of the mill that is adapted to rest upon the coil box at one end and to be supported at its' 10. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a coil' box, two pairs of rotatable arms that are interlocked for simultaneous movement in one direction, one pair of arms being adapted for engaging coils of strip metal for lifting them above said coil box, apparatus for receiving said coils, the other pair of arms being adapted to transfer the coils from the position to which they are elevated by the lifting arms to the receiving apparatus when the lifting arms are reversed to release the coils, and means for actuating both pairs of arms to complete their rotation into position for lifting and transferring a succeeding coil.

11. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a coil .box, a pair of coil-supporting. members at a level above said coil box, a pair of rotatable members for lifting coils from said coil box above the level of the coil-supportingmembers, a pair of rotatable arms movable forwardly with said rotatable members, latch members on said supporting members for supporting the ends of said arms when the latter have rotated through a predetermined angle, said .arms having end portions for forming inclined supports for said coils when supported by said latch members and which conduct said coils to said coil-supporting members when the coils are released by the lifting members.

12. Sheet metal apparatus comprising means for supporting acoil at two different levels, a pair of rotatable members for engaging a coil and lifting it from the lower to the upper level, means for rotating said members, means for stopping said members when the coil is above the upper .level, and a pair of members rotatable with the lifting members in the forward direction for en-' gaging the upper supporting means to transfer the coil thereto by gravity when released by the lifting members, all of said rotatable members thereupon continuing their rotation in the original direction to their initial positions.

13. Sheet metal apparatus comprising means for supporting a coil at two difierent levels, a pair of rotatable members for engaging a coil and lifting it from the lower to the upper level, a pair of members rotatable with the lifting membersand adapted to make a latching engagement with the upper supporting means, means for rotating said members, and means for stopping said members when they are in position to transfer said coil to the upper supporting means and for causing said members to continue their rotation in the original direction when the coil has been transferred from the lifting members to the upper supporting means.

14. The combination with a rolling mill of duplicate sheet metal handling apparatus on opposite sides thereof comprising superposed means sheet form, said apparatus comprising means for supporting the coils which is adapted to receive and also support a demountable conveyor for handling sheets, and a removable sheet conveyor adapted to be mounted on a part of said coil supporting means.

16. Sheet metal apparatus comprising a mill for rolling sheet metal, superposed coil supporting members at one side of the said mill for sup- 10 porting a, plurality of coils at different elevations,

the other.

a coil box disposed between the mill ends of said supports and the mill for supporting a coil while the material thereon is being worked upon by the mill, and means operable between the level of said supports for transferring coils from one to KIRTLAND (LE-GARDNER. CHARLES F. BUENTE. GEOFFREY G. BEARD. 

